Upton: Ohtani is 'most talented baseball player I've ever seen'

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Justin Upton believes he plays with the most talented player in baseball, and he's not talking about Mike Trout.

Upton told the "Fantasy Baseball Today Podcast" that Shohei Ohtani is the "most talented baseball player I've ever seen."

"That's because he can do everything," Upton said of Ohtani. "Mike Trout can't pitch, Mookie Betts can't pitch. There's really good baseball players at what they do, but there's nobody who does everything."

Ohtani is baseball's most notable two-way player, though he's struggled to contribute on the mound during his MLB career due to multiple injuries.

He owns a .269/.340/.503 slash line with 47 home runs, 147 RBIs, and 29 steals in 967 plate appearances as a hitter. As a pitcher, he's 4-3 with a 4.39 ERA and 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 12 starts.

However, it's not just his stats that separates Ohtani from the rest of the league, as Upton notes his athleticism and raw talent are factors, too.

"He's the fastest guy on our team. He's got the most pop on our team. He throws the hardest on our team. He's one of the harder throwers in the league," Upton said. "There's not anybody else that can do what he does.

"If he was in the home run derby right now, I'd pick him to win."

Ohtani, who pitched just 1 2/3 innings and struggled at the plate in 2020, is expected to enter spring training as a two-way player.